<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Pale Boy With the World on his Shoulders by FairythePigeon (Me_aGlorifiedPigeon)</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25002016">Pale Boy With the World on his Shoulders</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Me_aGlorifiedPigeon/pseuds/FairythePigeon'>FairythePigeon (Me_aGlorifiedPigeon)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fabled Sides [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanders Sides (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, Growing Up Together, Kid Deceit | Janus Sanders, Kid Morality | Patton Sanders, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Past Character Death, Slow Burn, So slow it hasn't happened, Vendettas</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:14:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,014</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25002016</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Me_aGlorifiedPigeon/pseuds/FairythePigeon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Patton is gonna save the world. He's determined to do it. Janus isn't so sure he can.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Deceit | Janus Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fabled Sides [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1810027</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Pale Boy With the World on his Shoulders</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Patton was on his feet surprisingly fast, but Eliza was not as impressed as he was. She simply said he'd have been on his feet faster if he hadn't been starving when she found him. Patton had no clue how to respond to her, but she didn't care for him to. Instead, she took him outside and handed him a wooden sword.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It is time to train, and grow strong. Lord Lucien will never expect you to come after him, but the surprise may wear off quickly. So study, and study well," Eliza said. Patton was confused at first how a blind woman was going to train him. But as it turned out, Eliza was far more adept with a blade- even a fake wooden blade, than Patton had assumed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the end of training that day, Patton felt like a single large bruise, but Eliza fed him and then released him into the rest of the camp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Patton hadn't explored the caravan camp. He'd been injured too greatly. But he could see people dancing by the fire, playing games by their caravan cars, and even one couple heavily kissing and closing the door to their little caravan behind them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He heard the clucking of harried chickens suddenly, and a woman screaming, "JANUS!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then the boy who kept sneaking into his caravan car stopped in front of him, all grins and mischief. "Hello, pale boy! I see you're all better!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My name is Patton," Patton chuckled. He'd introduced himself before, but Janus somehow made "pale boy" sound endearing. Janus shrugged, not even trying to squander his grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, well, I saw you were fighting with Eliza- is she teaching you anything, or just bullying you?" Janus asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She's teaching me," Patton assured. Janus's grin softened into something oddly fond. They'd only known one another for a few weeks at most.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You are incredibly sweet. What is Eliza teaching you swordsmanship for, anyhow?" Janus asked, and he swung his legs over the fence used to keep the oxen penned in at night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm going to hunt down the man who killed my brother and make him pay," Patton proclaimed, and Janus blinked at him in surprise. His smile slid off his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How dark of you," He muttered. "Who is this man?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Lord Lucien," Patton informed, and Janus barked a laugh, sliding off the fence and landing gracefully on his feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're going to kill </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lord Lucien</span>
  </em>
  <span>!?" Janus crowed. "Oh, I'd love to see that! What are you going to do, storm his castle and take him down? You were barely walking with the grace of a newborn calf </span>
  <em>
    <span>last week</span>
  </em>
  <span>!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's why I'm </span>
  <em>
    <span>training</span>
  </em>
  <span>," Patton scoffed. "Besides, this isn't just for me. Lord Lucien is a terrible man-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don't need to tell me twice! I lost my parents to his men, you think I don't understand that he needs to be ousted? I just- and forgive me, pale boy, but it </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> my honest opinion- I don't think you're going to be the mighty hero who takes him down," Janus confessed. Patton stood up straight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You wanna bet?" He challenged. Janus let out a chuckle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Let's lower the stakes a tad, why don't we? If you can beat Eliza before we're sixteen, I'll… I'll grant you one wish. Within reason," Janus offered. Patton's eyebrows jumped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh? And what's in it for you?" Patton asked. Janus smiled coyly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, I suppose you could grant </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span> one wish. Or, you know. Give me mocking rights until you're dead and buried," Janus teased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"A wish sounds more fair, unless I also get mocking rights if I win," Patton negotiated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll be picking out my wish, then," Janus chuckled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Six years is a long time to pick a wish. Mine will be a really good one," Patton promised. It was another few years before the promise cropped back up again in conversation. Patton brought it up this time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think I decided on a wish," the twelve year old boy said decisively.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"A wish? Oh, for the deal!" Janus laughed. "Just because you're getting better, doesn't mean you're going to win that bet."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I believe in myself," Patton insisted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, go on then, tell me the wish, Mister Self Confidence," Janus teased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm going to wish for you to give Dog a big fat kiss," Patton said decisively. Janus let out an incredulous laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"In that case, I'm going to wish for you to run naked through the camp! People will wonder where the milk boy came from!" Janus teased. Patton giggled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At fourteen, Janus had started learning to dance alongside some of the older people. He was a natural, and during the evening campfire, he began to incorporate some of the more professional moves he'd learned. Patton found himself dreadfully distracted by the way Janus could twist his hips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Patton, dance with me!" Janus laughed, stopping in front of him, grinning brightly, breathless and beautiful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have to practice," Patton stated. Janus blinked at him, his smile dropping. Patton felt awful for making that smile disappear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh?" Janus asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have to be strong enough to save Albion from Lord Lucien," Patton explained. Janus was outrightly frowning then.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So you're just gonna stop having fun?" Janus asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I won't </span>
  <em>
    <span>stop</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I'll simply have less time for it," Patton insisted. He gripped his training sword tightly by the hilt, turning away from the campfire to return to his wagon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're putting </span>
  <em>
    <span>all of Albion</span>
  </em>
  <span> before me?" Janus demanded, following him away from the warm celebrations at the campfire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Patton turned around, walking backwards now. "You aren't </span>
  <em>
    <span>suffering</span>
  </em>
  <span> the way they are. We'll have time later-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Later </span>
  <em>
    <span>when</span>
  </em>
  <span>!? When you're dead because you went on a suicide mission trying to kill a man with an </span>
  <em>
    <span>army</span>
  </em>
  <span> at his disposal?" Janus interrupted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why don't you believe in me the way I do?" Patton accused. "I know I can do this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're just a fourteen year old kid with a vendetta, Patton! You cried when we had to bury Lariena! And she was </span>
  <em>
    <span>a hen</span>
  </em>
  <span>!" Janus argued. Patton scoffed and turned, walking forward again. He heard Janus whine. "I just don't want you to get hurt, pale boy."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I </span>
  <em>
    <span>won't</span>
  </em>
  <span>," Patton huffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why can't you just settle here with us? Join our caravan and be </span>
  <em>
    <span>happy</span>
  </em>
  <span>," Janus pleaded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't fit in here, Janus. You yourself call me pale boy to remind me of it constantly," Patton pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If- if you don't win against Eliza, my wish will be for you to stay," Janus said desperately. Patton glared at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then I'll just have to </span>
  <em>
    <span>win</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, on his sixteenth birthday, it was Eliza who won their clash. Janus carefully placed a cool, wet rag against Patton's bruises. Patton hissed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I knew you'd lose," Janus said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I held my own for a good while though," Patton argued. "Longer than the previous fights with her I've had."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Longer, yes," Janus agreed, a teasing tilt to his lips. "But still embarrassingly short."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh hush," Patton huffed. Janus hummed in response, dipping the rag back into the cool bucket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You did well. I was very impressed," Janus commented. Patton grunted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not well enough."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, say that to the girls that were practically drooling over you," Janus chuckled. He heightened his voice to reach a rather annoying falsetto. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, Patton! What a handsome boy- for a milk boy, anyway. Do you think he'd kiss me?</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They didn't say that," Patton snorted. "Only you call me a milk boy."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You caught me, I'm the one who wants a kiss from the pale boy," Janus mocked. Patton snickered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Be serious," Patton said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Janus' smile slipped, and he stared at Patton. "What if I told you I was being serious?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?" Patton asked, and his heart stuttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What if I told you that my wish is for you to kiss me?" Janus asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I- I-" Patton just stammered, unable to say anything. His brain felt like fuzz.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm joking!" Janus burst out, his brown cheeks dusted pink. "Obviously my wish is still for you to run naked through the camp."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"O-of course!" Patton agreed, though he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Then his entire face burned. "Wait, really?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Janus smirked down at him. "Come on, pale boy, what are you so afraid of?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Patton glared at Janus, but the other boy just kept smirking, clearly smug and delighted. In the end, Patton wound up following through on the wish, to the surprised screams and embarrassed laughter of the others in the caravan he'd grown up with. When he ran back, Janus had his clothes for him, and was laughing harder than anyone else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Janus' laugh almost made it feel worth it. Then he had to go ruining it by saying, "You were practically glowing under the moon, pale boy!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A further few years had Eliza proclaiming that Patton was ready. He hadn't really thought he was getting so close, but even after she said that during their duel, he took her down, surprising himself further.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Patton was sitting on the step to his caravan, cleaning his sword, when Janus practically danced up to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The scars across the left side of his face were finally looking healthier. He'd been lucky to survive a balverine encounter, and even luckier not to turn. The scars across his face didn't even begin to mar his beauty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Today's the day then?" Janus asked quietly, looking at him with a blank face. Patton nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Today, I begin my journey to get justice. For Logan," Patton said. Janus sucked in a breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Be safe. Please, Patton, survive this," Janus pleaded. Patton pulled Janus' hand into his and smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I won't let myself die before Lucien changes his ways. I can't," Patton declared. He sheathed the blade and slung his crossbow over his shoulders. Janus chuckled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I trust you. Don't be too selfless out there, Hero," Janus teased. Patton grinned. Janus' smile faltered. "Patton… if we don't see each other in awhile, could I…?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Patton raised an eyebrow curiously. He wondered what Janus could possibly want, but the man shook his head, changing his mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Never you mind. Just go be a hero," Janus said, smiling tightly. Patton grinned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll come visit," Patton promised. Janus laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I expect you to! Hopefully I won't be out when you come back to camp," Janus commented. Patton hugged his dearest and oldest friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll miss you," Patton sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know. But this… this is more important, I understand," Janus assured. Patton grimaced.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I wish it wasn't. But my brother needs to be put to rest. Lucien needs to pay for what he's done," Patton said bitterly. Janus sucked in a breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I wish I had gotten to meet your brother," Janus said. Patton laughed bitterly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Had he lived, we never would've met," Patton reminded. Janus looked down at their hands. Milky white and sun kissed brown. The skin of a city boy juxtaposed against that of the Caravaners.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maybe we could have," Janus said. Patton shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No use wasting time on could haves and would haves. I need to leave," Patton reminded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I want to be selfish and keep you here with me," Janus laughed. "Isn't that cruel? You wouldn't be happy here. You haven't been happy here."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No. You've been angry. You've been mourning. And now it is time for you to turn that anger and grief on Lucien- good luck, Patton." Janus released his hand and began to wander off towards the campfire. Patton could hear the sounds of music and dancing and laughter from that direction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed and began to make his way to the gate, where Eliza was waiting. Patton refused to wait any longer. People were </span>
  <em>
    <span>suffering</span>
  </em>
  <span>- </span>
  <em>
    <span>Logan</span>
  </em>
  <span> had suffered. Patton was going to put an end to it. He glanced back as he walked away from the dancing, spotting Janus by the fire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What he was doing would be for Logan. It would be for the world. And it would be for the friends he'd made in the Caravan the past ten years.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I wrote more anyway, look at that!</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>